Tennis racket handles



illnited States Patent TENNHS RACKET HANDLES Jacob L. Kleinman, Arveme, N. Y.

Application July 2, 1954, Serial No. 441,123

Claims. (Cl. 273-75) This invention relates to the handle structure of rackets in general, and more particularly to a type of racket known as tennis rackets.

My novel construction is capable of being utilized in connection with various types of rackets, for example: tennis rackets, squash rackets, badminton rackets, table tennis rackets or bats, and the like.

In accordance with my invention, I produce a tennis racket wherein the handle section is provided with a narrow longitudinal through slot or opening, beginning at the bridge section of the handle structure which is located at the bottom portion of such handle, and is formed in a manner providing two spaced apart parallel resilient side sections, and wherein the edge portions of such slot are conoaved to provide gripping means for the players fingers and wherein the upper end portion of such slot is provided with an enlarged recessed section for the thumb of the players hand to sit therein to better grip the handle for firmer control of the racket during play, and wherein each of such resilient sections are individually covered with a soft element to cushion the grip for relaxing the tension of the players hand and the strain upon his wrist during play.

To illustrate the ordinary commercial utility of my novel handle structure in daily life, a racket having a handle constructed in accordance with my invention, of whatever style or type it may be made, could be utilized to great advantage. For example, tennis rackets are usually provided with solid handles, and although these handles are provided with leather covering, yet, because of being solid wood the handle of the ordinary type of racket does not provide any resiliency or give to the players hand while holding same during play; thus such racket may uncontrollably slip when trying to make a high ball or turn within the players hand while hitting or slicing a ball.

This of course presents a difiicult problem to the average player (particularly so to the beginner) to an extent which occasionally results in the discontinuance of playing tennis, a matter which is of course of great concern to all interested in the sport of playing tennis particularly so to the manufacturer of tennis rackets.

But my racket handle, made in accordance with my invention, is so constructed that it eliminates completely the above-mentioned problems. For example, the through slot in my handle structure provides such handle with two parallel spaced apart gripping sections, the slot is of such length whereby such spaced apart gripping sections become resilient to a certain desired degree, and because the slot is formed above the bridge section at the lower end portion of the handle such spaced gripping sections always retain the same degree of resiliency; and the fact that each of such separate sections is individually covered by a separate soft element permits the slot to retain its open visibility after the gripping section of the handle has been covered, thereby assuring proper gripping of the handle section, so that while the player takes hold of the handle the two spaced apart ice 2 sections will flex or spring enabling the players hand to exert a tight grip upon the handle, and in addition thereto the concaved edge portions of the slot will permit the players fingers to bite into such slot for better gnipping such handle and the enlarged recessed portion of such slot provides a seat for the players thumb thereby enabling the players hand to have a tighter fit or hold upon the handle and thus a firmer grip and control of the racket during play.

Thus, a racket handle structure made in accordance with my invention, comprises a properly constructed gripping handle, provided with practical gripping means, enabling the player to exert a better and tighter grip upon the handle of his racket and thus maintain a firm control of such racket during play.

The variety of possible applications of my novel construction with different types of rackets, or bats, as hereinabove indicated, is so prolific that for the purpose of illustrating the invention, the specific embodiment of my invention in its application to the handle structure of a racket exhibiting the greatest difiiculties has been selected. Such a racket is one wherein its handle necessarily must conform most rigidly to the contours of the players hand and one which has the field of greatest possible commercial use. For this purpose I have selected for illustration of my novel construction, a racket of the type constituting a tennis racket, so that the principles of construction may best be illustrated in a structure known as a tennis racket handle.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and the do jects of the invention, reference is had to the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a tennis racket constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the racket shown in Fig. 1, showing the slotted construction of my handle structure incompletely finished form.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of my handle structure,

broken away from the racket, showing in detail the struc ture thereof.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5--'5 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in which similar reference characters identify similar parts in the several views; arrow A indicates a completely finished tennis racket wherein the handle 5 is constructed in accordance with my invention, and 6 indicates the frame section having a neck portion 7 and a shank 8. The frame 6 is provided with the usual net 9 forming a bat for playing purposes.

The handle 5 is provided with a through slot 11, for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained.

The formation of the slot 11 begins at the bridge portion 12, which is located at the bottom portion of the handle 5, and is covered by the butt member 14. Such slot 11 extends upwardly throughout the length of the gripping portion of the handle structure 5, to a point under the string windings 15, thereby dividing the gripping por tion of the handle structure into two parallel spaced apart longitudinal gripping sections 16 and 17. The longitudinal edge portions of each of the inner walls 18 are each shaped in a recessed or concaved manner for example as shown at 19 and the upper end portions thereof are each provided with an enlarged recessed portion shaped in a manner for example as shown at 21, for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained.

Each of the sections, 16 and 1'7, are individually covered by suitable means, for example, a soft leather strip winding 22. The winding operation of this leather strip 22 may start at the bridge portion 12 and continue upwardly to the end portion of the slot 11 (see Fig. 3), thereby forming air chambers Ztl and 20' at the concaved portions 19 and at the enlargedrecessed portions The lower end portions of the leather windings 2 2 are both covered by the butt 14, which is secured to the bnidge portion 12 by pins 24, and'the upperend portions of such leather strip windings are both covered by the string windings 15,,thu sadding a finishing touch to the completion and appearance of the handle structure (Figs. 1 and 2). p e

Each of the leather strips Z Z iswound very tightly upon its individual section for thefollowingreasons: First, by being wound tightly such leather strip ZZwill s'tay securely in desired positions and -will not move or .give, thus minimiaing slipping possibilitiesin the players hand during pl y; nd secondly, by being tightlywound around its individual section such leather strip 22 will stretch tightlyovcr the concayed portion li and over the enlarged recessed portion 21 thereby forming, an air chamber 20 and a resilient inwardly sloping bridge portion 25, and an enlarged air chamber 20 covered byan inwardly inclined resilient bridge portion 26 (see Figs. 4 and 5) for a purpose which will behereinafter explained.

it is naturally understood that both of the covered gripping sections 16 and 17 form a single unified handle structure of a size suitable for the player to hold such handlein one of his hands for playing purposes, and that it is the visible through slot, or space, between the two covered gripping sections 1.6 and 17 which permits slight resiliency of such covered sections and 17, thus enabling firmer hand gripping upon the handle structure. Of course the degree of resiliency is dependent upon the size of the slot formed within the handle structure, which is optional with the manufacturer.

It will thus be seen, that when the player will take hold of my handle structure, the individual covered gripping sections 16 and 17, because of being separated from each other by the slot or space 11, will each spring toa slight degree and will therefore enable the player to exert a tighter grip upon my handle structure, and that the concaved edge portions will permit the players fingers to bite into the resilient bridge portions (at the slot 11) to prevent rotation or slipping of the racket in the play ers hand during play, and the enlarged recessed portion 'Will permit the players thumb to sit therein and press tightly against theenlarged resilient bridge portions 256, thus obtaining a complete and firm hold and control of the racket during play. It is naturally understoodthat the resiliency of the separated covered "grippingsections 16 and 17, and the resiliency of the bridge portions 25 and'2, in addition to the provision of a substantial grip and firm control of the racketduring'play, also cushion such'grip and therefore relax the tension of the player's hand and the strain upon his wrist during play.

For better and clearer understanding of the construction of my handle structure I have shown the sections 16 and 17 in Fig. Spar'tly uncovered, to show clearly the slot structure, the manner of winding the leather strips upon the individual sections, the formation of the air chambers and also the formation of the resilient bridge portions.

The bottom portion of the handle structure may be covered with a suitable material, for example, a leather portion 10 having its end'portions 1.0 bent upwardly and covered by the butt 14.

It is of course understood, that the disclosures herein are for illustration'purposes only, and not for limitation purposes, Naturally, various changes or modifications of structure may be resorted to without departing frointhe spirit of the invention. For example, the concaved shape may be eliminated if sodesired or the enlargedreces'sed section may be eliminated, or several of such enlarged recessed sections may be formed, or other means maybe [i used for covering the end portions of the leather windings, or other materials may be used instead of the leather element for covering the gripping sections 16 and 17, or the location or shape of the slot lll may vary.

From the above it is evident, that my present invention teaches an entirely new form of structure in the art of constructing tennis racket handles. The novel form, or manner, in which my handle is constructed, the new combination of parts and sections, combined in a new and. heretofore unknown manner, provides a grip handle constructed on a new principle. The manner in which provision is made for the covered handle to be provided with a visible longitudinal slot therethrough, and also the provision of air chambers and resilient bridge portions along the longitudinal inner edge portions for the provision of better and firmer gripping means, establishes an entirely new and modern principle in the construction of tennis racket handles. It creates a handle structure of a new and unique design, provided with practical and outstanding features, performing new functions unknown heretofore. It will therefore besecn that my invention, a covered handle structure provided with a visible slot as herein illustrated and described, provides a practical and useful handle structure, it solves the most vexing problems in the tennis racket industry, and it can be utilized to great advantage by the user, and is therefore believed to be of commercial value.

From the above it will be seen that l have invented and perfected a tennis racket handle structure of a new and unique design, containing features which are novel, useful and practical, and provide a maximum degree of comfort to the user and which is therefore of commercial value, and although I have shown certain preferred forms or illustrations in order to explain and describe the novelty of my invention, yet, by showing such structure, I do not, by any means, limit myself to these structures, nor to the terms used in describing same, as they are for illustrative purposes only. Various suggestions and changes of structure may be resorted to, and I desire it to be understood that l have same in mind when showing and describing this invention. And, although i have mentioned in describing this invention of what material certain parts maybe made, 'how they may be formed, shaped or styled and how they may b'e'asseinbled, yet I desire it to be understoodthat this structure, or parts thereof, may be made of any suitable material, and shaped, formed, styled or arranged 'in any desirable manner, and that various changes in'detail may be resortedto without departing from the spirit of this invention, and I seek protection by Letters Pat'ent on the following'claims.

Iclaim:

l. A racket'comprising a'frame, a neck portion and a handle structure, a net within said frame, a through slot within said handle structure, said slot forming two spaced apart parallel longitudinally disposed gripping sections at the said handle structure, each of said two sections having an iriner wall, said inner walls each having two longitudinal edge portions, said edge portions each being concaved in a transverse plane, the upper portions of each of said concaved edge portions havingenlarged recessed sections, a separate leather strip covering each one of 'said gripping sections individually, said leather strips bridging said concaved edge portions and the said enlarged recessed sections'thus forming air chambers and resilient bridge portions, both of the lower end portions of 'said leather strips covered collectively by a butt member and both of the upper end portions of said leather strips covered collectively by a string winding thereby completing the construction of said handle structure, said handle structure being of a size whereby said two gripping sections are adapted to be held collectively inone of the handsv theplayer.

, 2 A racket'comprisingfa frame, a neck portion and a handle structure, a 'net withi'n 's'aid frame, a through "slot within said handle structure, said slot forming spaced apart parallel longitudinally disposed gripping sections at said handle structure, each of said sections having inner wall portions, each of said Wall portions having longitudinal edge portions, each of said edge portions being concaved in a transverse plane, a leather strip covering each of said grippin" sections individually, said leather strip bridging said concaved edge portions thus forming air chambers and resilient bridge portions, both of the lower end portions of said leather strips covered by a butt member and both of the upper end portions of said leather strips covered by a string winding thereby completing the construction of said handle structure, said handle structure being of a size whereby said gripping sections are adapted to be held collectively in one of the hands of the player.

3. A playing but comprising a handle structure, said handle structure having a gripping portion, said gripping portion being of a size adapted to be held in one of the hands of the player during play, a through slot within the said gripping portion, said slot forming two spaced apart longitudinally disposed sections, each of said two sections having an inner wall, said inner walls each having two longitudinal edge portions, said edge portions each being concaved in a transverse plane, a yieldable material covering each of the said longitudinal sections individually and bridging said concaved edge portions thereby forming individual air chambers and yieldable bridge portions, both of the lower end portions of the said covering material covered by a butt member and means securing the upper portions of said covering mate rial to the portion of the handle above the said slot.

4-. A playing bat comprising a handle structure, said handle structure having a hand gripping portion, said portion being of a size adapted to be held in one of the 6 hands of the player during play, a through slot within the said gripping portion, said slot forming two spaced apart longitudinally disposed sections, a strip of pliable material covering each of the said sections individually, both of the lower end portions of the said covering covered by a single butt member, a winding securing the upper portions of said covering to the portion of the handle structure above the said slot, portions of said strip located Within said slot, and a visible space between the said portions within the said slot to permit in wardiy relative compression of the said longitudinal sections with respect to each other.

5. A playing bat comprising a handle structure, said handle structure having a hand gripping portion, said portion being of a size adapted to be held in one of the hands of the player during play, a through longitudinal slot within said gripping portion, said slot forming two spaced apart longitudinally disposed sections, a material covering the said longitudinal sections individually having portions thereof positioned within the said slot, a butt member, said butt member covering both of the lower portions of the said covering material, means securing the upper portions of said covering material to the said gripping portion above the said slot, a space between the portions of said covering material within the said slot to permit compression of the said longitudinal sections inwardly towards each other to assure firm gripping of the players hand upon the said gripping portion.

lanes July 25, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1914 

